This was an exciting thriller that draws you in from the very first chapter and keeps your attention throughout depsite the slower start.

While entertaining and intriguing, this books also delves into some deeper topics adding more layers to the mystery. Definitely interested in seeing what this author does next!

This was a very interesting read and it kept my attention from start to finish. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author!

Having spent my high school years in a small town I greatly understand and appreciated the authors use of the small town gossip and the stubborn inability to let a big event go. I thought that was well executed especially in the way that the characters carry their baggage and work through their grief. I wouldn’t say this is a thriller but more of a mysterious reflection. All in all I thought it was a good story. There were a few chapters where I thought the story was a little lacking and repetitive but overall it was good.

I struggled to get into this book for quite a while before ultimately DNFing it. The story seemed promising, but the characters felt so flat and stereotypical.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

This book was not for me. I was excited about the story, but I couldn't get passed the pace and the writing style. It was very slow. Thank you, NetGalley.

Ten years ago, Grant Dean was driving his sister and a friend home from a party where all three had been drinking. An accident occurred in which his sister, Phoebe, lost her life, and Grant and Becca both suffer injuries. What no one can understand is why it took Grant twenty-seven minutes to call 911. If he had acted quicker, Phoebe may have lived. Grant has spent those ten years haunted by the secret he’s kept and manipulated Becca into keeping, too.

Grant and Becca aren’t the only ones suffering from loss. The night Phoebe died, Wyatt, the brother of Phoebe’s friend, June, runs away after an argument with his father and is never heard from again. June’s father leaves the family a day later, never to return, and more recently June’s mother passed away, leaving June alone.

Now a memorial service has been planned by Grant and Phoebe’s mother, and it’s bringing painful memories to the surface for Grant, Becca, June, and others. Will all the secrets finally be revealed?

Ashley Tate is a new-to-me author, and I enjoyed the story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The premise was promising, but the delivery was lackluster. I enjoyed the multiple POVs, but it did lead to repetition. Sadly, the characters were one dimensional and annoying. The pace was way too slow for the genre, and the ending was predictable and unsatisfying.

I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t there for me. The storyline was interesting but just that. I didn’t feel it came together very well and then the ending felt very rushed.

Twenty-Seven Minutes revolves around an incident a decade ago when Grant, at the wheel, faced a catastrophic accident on a bridge. In the car were Becca and Grant's sister, Phoebe, who tragically lost her life in the crash. The narrative unfolds during the crucial 27 minutes between the accident and Grant's call to 911, exploring the mystery of what transpired during that time. Also on that fateful night, Wyatt, another resident of the small town, mysteriously disappeared.

The story is skillfully narrated through multiple perspectives, including Grant, Becca, Phoebe, Wyatt, and Wyatt's sister, June. Each character grapples with the events leading up to the accident and the aftermath. Amidst the psychological challenges stemming from that night, they confront their memories to uncover the truth about what truly unfolded during those critical 27 minutes.

A tale filled with suspense, the novel builds towards an unexpected conclusion that will leave readers astonished.

I love the way this one starts. It is very brutal and sad. It hooked me right away.
Grant was all "m mother never does anything for me except feed me." He is a grown ass man! I hated him right then.
I hate Becca too. It makes this all SO good!
This was weird but brilliant and I had fun reading this bizarre story.

The book Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate is the story of the small town of West Wilmer and their obsession with a decade-old car accident. The main question everyone wants to know the answer to is why Grant Dean waited twenty-seven minutes to call for help on the night of the accident that took the life of his sister.. It is beyond comprehension because if he had called sooner, she might still be alive.

There are lies, there are secrets - the whole novel takes place over three days and there is a shocking twist at the end that I was not expecting.

I was so excited to read this novel based on the description and when I started reading I could not put it down, but about mid-way through I found that it lost some of its steam and started to get a little repetitive - that is until the twist at the end..

The characters were well crafted in that they added a another level to the story. Their nuanced traits, motivations and evolution contribute to a rich and immersive reading experience.

In the end, it was a good debut novel and I would definitely read another one by this author.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to review this novel via NetGalley.

Many thanks to Poisoined Press and NetGalley for my #gifted copy. 1/30/24

This was a slow burn thriller that had lots of drama! I just did not vibe well with any of the characters, and I felt was a little over the top. This was not a bad book just not one of my favorites.

Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley! Without getting into the plot, I want to commend Ashley Tate for writing on grief. It was well written and made you think about it. That said, this book was well written! The scenes we very vivid, the characters felt real and the suspense made the pages turn fast. I look forward to recommending to others!

I wasn’t able to finish this book. It started off well but the more I read, the more I disliked the characters and just couldn’t get into it.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of Twenty Seven Minutes. I liked this book, but did not love. I probably won’t remember the plot a year from now. It was intriguing during the read though, and a good read but just not memorable.

Rating: 3/5 Stars
Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Twenty-Seven Minutes follows four individuals, Grant, Becca, Wyatt, and June ten years after the death of Phoebe, Grant's sister, in a car accident on a local bridge. Grant was driving the car and did not call 911 for 27 minutes after the accident, no one knows why, but the general consensus is Phoebe could have been saved if aide had been administered immediately. Becca was also a passenger in the car and while injured, survived. Wyatt and June are siblings, and Wyatt ran away from his family that same night after not getting along with his father, but has returned to be with June after the death of their mother. A second accident on the same bridge and Phoebe and Grant's mother is finally hosting a memorial for Phoebe has the whole town talking about the accident again. This brings up a lot of feelings for those involved. But what really happened that night is what the reader will try to find out while reading this book.

Ashley Tate understands grief. And writes it very well. Grief is messy, exhausting, springs up at unexpected times and places, repetitive, and everyone grieves a little differently. It's hard to sometimes sit with other people's grief, but that was what I, as the reader, had to do at times! I have no problem listening to a friend or a loved one who is grieving... Unfortunately, I just didn't like the characters that much. They all seemed so selfish and plain mean to each other, even the other people in town. I wanted to like SOMEONE. I enjoyed the Pretty Little Liars vibes, but I still needed a character to like. I did not see the twist coming until the very end, but I also have thoughts and feelings about that, which I won't spoil!

I liked the author's writing style (some of those scenes will HAUNT me they were so descriptive and transport you) and would definitely try another book by her in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A decade ago, Phoebe died in a car crash with her brother at the wheel and her best friend Becca in the backseat. Since her death, Phoebe’s mother has practically stopped functioning and her brother carries around so much guilt. Not only guilt about the accident, but guilt about the secret he has been keeping. Why did it take him twenty seven minutes to call for help? And could those twenty seven minutes have made a difference in her living or dying? Now, in present day, a memorial service is being held for Phoebe.

This was a unique story that I as really looking forward to. The plot was a little bit slower than I like, and because of that, it was hard for me to get into the story. I appreciate that it showed how grief can affect different people in different ways and manifest itself differently, but overall this wasn’t one for me.

“Twenty Seven Minutes” releases January 30, 2024. This book will be shared on my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to read this early digital copy and I can’t wait for it to be released!

I was kept reading by the suspense in this book, but I can’t say that I felt that it paid off by the end. I will say that I struggle to leave any book a critical review because I know that I couldn’t write a book, so I always admire anyone who was able to do so! Having said all that I don’t think I can recommend this book to others. I will say, the suspense kept me reading and wondering what was the secret between Wyatt and Grant. There was a lot that I was surprised about by the end of the book so that is a positive. I definitely enjoyed June's strength and seeing her come out of the shell that she’s been living in for 10 years. I also enjoyed the character of Becca- wow she’s an interesting character and one who really really needs help! Grant is a selfish piece of garbage overall- I really didn't want any good things to happen for him. I just didn’t feel like the book paid off at the end with the whole premise of the book- the wondering over the 27 minutes and what happened and why. I am sure someone else will read this book and enjoy it. It has positives, but overall it wasn't for me. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel as an ARC.

Twenty-seven mins?? Really what took him so long. Read this book and see why. I loved the length of this book. Are you ready to read a book you can't put down? Well this is the one.